Friday, January 25, 2013

1- Amanda Schweizer submits Haruhiko Kawaguchi

Haruhiko Kawaguchi's series "Fresh Love" is one of the most extreme methods I've seen to get an unusual series of photographs. He "vacuum packs" couples he meets in bars and captures the moment on camera.

These images are not Photoshopped, as the video posted below the images on the website proves. (Click the following link to check it out)http://www.featureshoot.com/2012/08/flesh-love-photographs-of-vacuum-wrapped-tokyo-couples/
At first glance, you wonder how long these poor people breathe during a photo shoot. I kept looking for air tubes into their mouths, but they are apparently not necessary. The video shows it only takes about ten to twenty seconds to photograph the couple once they are situated and vacuum packed.
The upside to this method is that it is unique, extreme, and completely unexpected, which makes them entertaining. Some major drawbacks include the physical risks to the subjects. How safe is it to "vacuum pack" a human, even if it is just for a few seconds? If they leave the vacuum attached to the sack a little to long, what damage is risked to to lungs? Though I seriously wonder about the physical risks, I applaud Kawaguchi for his innovative creativity and for having the guts to pull it off!